Christmas-tree-lighting outfit



May 13, 1930. 1 B. MANsoN 1,757,969 CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING ouTFTT fFiled July 3, 1928 i l? ZATNVENTOR l `r ATToRNEgIs Patented May 13, 1930UNITED STATES PATENT QFFlCE LEON B. MAN-SON, OF CORONA, NEVI YORK,ASSIGNOR TO NOMA ELECTRIC CORPORA- TION, OF NEVV YORK, 1*-1'. Y., ACORPORATON OF NEW YORK CHRISTMAS-TREE-LIGHTING OUTFIT Application filedJuly 3, 1928.

My present invention has 'for its object to provide a simple andeffective circuit controlling device adapted to be used in connectionwith display lighting outfits for producing novel effects by causing theintermittent flickering or burning of incandescent lamps, a practicaladaptation of the invention being found in applying it to Christmas treelighting outlits.. The circuit controlling means by which my inventionis carried out includes a pair of thermally actuated circuit closers ofbi-metallic material, for automatically and intermittently closing andopening the diillerent lamp circuits, and in combination therewith lalso provide manually operable switching means for short circuiting thecircuit controller, whereby they are rendered ineffective and the lampcircuits are maintained closed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description, talren in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which-Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration showing a twocircuit display outfit embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a view ofthe thermally actuated circuit closers and switch means for shortcircuiting the same; Figure 8 is a central sectional view taken on line3 3 of Figure 2, showing the complementary sections of the switchhousing secured together; and Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line1X-4t* of Figure 2.

Similar reference numerals in the several figures illustrate similarparts.

By way of illustration, I have shown the device embodying this inventionas employed with a plurality of lamp circuits arranged in separatebranches fed from a common source of current supply. Between thesebranches and the main circuit lead wires I interpose a plurality ofnormally open contacts each of which is movable and operatesautomatically to close its respective circuit upon a rise in ltemperature of a resistance element associated therewith which isconnected across the opening between said contacts.

In illustrating my invention, l have shown two branch circuits eachembracing a separate group of lamps in series, the lamps ot Serial No.290,211.

one group being indicated by the numeral 5, and those of the other bythe numeral 6. rlhe circuit for the iirst group of the lamps includesconductors 8 and 9 and the circuit of the second group of lamps includesconductors 9 and 10. The conductor 9, common to the two circuits, isconnected to one terminal 11 of an attachment plug 12; and theconductors 8 and 10 are connected respectively through individualthermally actuated circuit closers, hereinafter more particularlydescribed, to the other terminal 15 oit the attachment plug 12, so thatthe circuits et the groups of lamps 5 and 6 are separately,automatically and intermittently closed and opened.

The device embodiyng this invention includes a pair of circuit closers13 and 14, housed within a suitable casing of insulating material madeup of complementary sectionsl 16 and 17, which are secured together bymeans of transverse bolts 18 passing therethrough. rlhe circuit closers13 and 14 arc each made from united strips oi' metal, having diierentcoeiiicients of expansion, which are so bent as to provide :tootportions 19 and yieldable arms 2O carrying at their' upper ends contacts21. The circuit closers 18 and 14 have their foot portions 19 inelectrical contact and are attached to the outwardly projecting arm of ametallic bracket 22, which is secured in position within the section 16by a screw 28 to which the conductor leading from the terminal 15 ot theattachment plug 12 is connectedA ln order to prevent shitting of thebracket 22 the supporting portion of that bracket may be confinedbetween a pair of ribs 2i projecting outwardly from a suitable boss 25termed on the inner wall of the section 16.

Adjacent the 'free ends of the arms 2O of the circuit closers 13 and 14,a pair of bosses 26 are disposed which are iiorn'ied integral with thesection 16 and proj et outwardly 'tr-om the inner Ylisce thereof. Uponthese bosses a pair oil contact bracket lll' are secured having' lateralprojiections carrying contacts adapted to be engaged by the contacts 21ot the circuit closers 1?; and lil. The brackets 2T constitute the fixedterminals of the branc lamp circuits and in Figs. 2 and 4 the conductors8 and 10 are shown permanently attached to them. rlhe circuit closers 13and 14 include arms 2G which constitute the movable portions ot each otthese circuit closers and fixed to them are the resistance elements suchas the surroundii'ig windings 29 ot resistance wire, the lower ends ofwhich, as viewed in Figure 2, are connected to their' respective arms,and the upper ends ot which, as also shown in Figure 2, are oined byconductors 30 to the bases of the contact brackets 27. The resistancewindings 29 are separated throughout the greater portion of theirrespective lengtns from the arms 2O by a layer of suitable insulatingmaterial 31, which envelop the greater portion of the arms 20.

Within the section 16 of the housing is carried a manually operableswitch member 33 ot suitable spring metal, one end oit which is beneaththe bracket 22 and is electrically connected thereto and the other orAtree end is disposed within the space ailorded between the inner taceot the section 16 and the inner or adjacent ends ot the bases or" thecontact brackets 2?'. The switch member 33 normally tends to maintain aposition out ot contact with the bases oit the brackets 27, but may bemoved into contact therewith, in order to short circuit the switch arms13 and 14 and their windings 29. This movement is effected by a cam orlever 35, pivoted in the section 16, and having its inner end contactingwith the switch member 33 intermediate its ends. 1n the normal operationot the device, the switch member 33 is retracted in the position, shown,in Figures 3 and 4. Current passes from the terminal 11 through theconductor 9, the lamps 5 and 6 of the conductors 3 and 10, thencethrough the conductors 30, and the resistance wires 29 to the contactarms 2O oi the circuit closers 13 and 14, trom whence it passes throughbracket 22 and to the terminal 15. Under such conditions the currentflowing through the conductors 8 and 10 is insutticient to light thelamps, due to the resistance o'i'ered by the resistance wires 29. As thecurrent flows through the resistance wires 2 the heat generated thereinis transmitted to the arms 20 of the circuit closers 13 and 14 causingthem to move laterally to carry their contacts 21 into engagement withthe lined terminals carried by the brackets 2?, whereupon the resistancewires 29 are short circuited, with the result that suiiicient current ispermitted to pass through the wires 8 and 10 to effect illumination otthe lamps 5 and 6. Upon short circuiting the resistances 29, the currentpassing through the conductors 3 and 10, follows the line ot leastresistance with the result that the resistances 29, and the arms 20 arepermitted to cool, with 'he result that the arms 2O move to their opencircuit positions, shown in Figure 2, thus leaving only the resistancewires 29 in the respective circuits of indeiinitely.

he lamps 5 and 6 preparatory to their being again illuminated in themanner above described. 'lhis intermittent opening and closing ot thelighting circuit through the separated branch lamp circuits may becontinued Simultaneous opening and simultaneous closing of the lightingcircuits through the conductors 3 and 10 is not assured, since'thecircuit closers 13 and 14 are not synchronized in their operation. Inthe absence ot synchronized operation o1c the circuit closers 13 and 14,lighting ot the group of lamps 5 may occur in one instance simultaneouswith the lighting of the group of lamps 6, or at another time this mayoccur either prior or subsequent to the lighting of the group ot lamps6. To short circuit the circuit closers 13 and 14, the cam switch lever35 is moved in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figuie 3, whereuponthe tree end ot the switch member 33 is moved into engagement with thebase portions ot the contact brackets 27, whereupon the lighting circuitthrough the conductors 3 and 10, their respective lamps 5 and 6 and theconductor 9, which is common to two groups ot lamps, is maintainedclosed until such time as the cam switch lever 35 is moved to itsposition shown in Figure 3 and the shunt or short circuiting connectionaround the circuit closers 13 and 14 through the switch arm 33 isthereby broken.

1What is claimed is 1. A circuit closer comprising a housing, a bracketsecured to the inner wall of the housing and serving as a terminal, ather'mostatically controlled switch arm having one of its ends securedto said bracket and its opposite end free to move into and out of closedcircuit position, a Contact bracket secured to the inner wall of thehousing adjacent the free end of said switch arm, a resistance carriedby and surrounding the switch arm, said resistance being permanentlyelectrically connected to said brackets and affording a permanentcurrent path between said brackets and arranged to eitect movement ofthe tree end of said switch arm into contact with said contact bracket,a manually operable switch member having one end secured to the firstmentioned bracket and its opposite end located intermediate said housingand said Contact bracket and adapted to be moved into engagement withsaid contact bracket to short circuit said resistance, and a switchlever pivotally connected to said housing and adapted to cooperate withsaid switch member to move such member into engagement with said contactbracket.

2. A circuit closer comprising a housing, a bracket secured to the innerwall of the housing and serving as a terminal, a pair oftheiniostatically controlled switch arms having angularly disposed footportions superimposed one upon the other and secured to said bracket,said switch arms each having n," LA) a free end adapted to move into andout of closed circuit position, a pair of contact brackets secured tothe inner wall of the housing adjacent the respective *free ends of saidswitch arms, a resistance carried by and surrounding each switch arm7said resistances .being permanently electrically connected to therespective contact brackets and to the irst mentioned bracket andaffording permanent current paths between the rst named bracket and therespective contact brackets and arranged to effect movement of the freeends of said switch arms respectively into contact with said contactbrackets, a manually operable switch member having one end secured tothe lirst mentioned bracket and its opposite end located intermediatesaid housing and said contact brackets and adapted to be moved intoengagement with said contact brackets to short circuit said resistances,and a switch lever pivotally connected to said housing and adapted tocooperate with said switch member to move such member into engagementwith said contact brackets.

In testimony whereof7 I have axed my signature to this specification.

LEON B. MANSON.

